Elderly woman gives birth

A 67-year-old woman has given birth to a baby girl. Credit: CCTV via AP

A 67-year-old woman has given birth to a baby girl who she and her husband claim was naturally conceived.

Mum-of-two Tian Ying delivered her daughter by C-section at Zaozhuang Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital in East China on Friday.

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The child was born weighing 2.5kg and is in a healthy and stable condition while continuing to be monitored in the neonatal intensive care unit.

The father announced they had named her ‘Tianci’ because "she was a gift from god". Credit: Asia Wire/Australscope

Tian remained conscious throughout the birth and is being kept in the ICU.

Her husband, Huang Heping, 68, was there to greet her as she was wheeled out of surgery in front of local media.

'Heaven sent'

The new dad revealed that their son and daughter, the oldest of whom is 40, had cut ties with them over their decision to keep the girl who they have chosen to name ‘Tianci’ - Mandarin for ‘heaven-sent’.

Huang, a lawyer, said: “We’ve named her ‘Tianci’ because she was a gift from god. I hope she likes her name in the future.”

He suggested the high-risk pregnancy was not planned, saying: “Had we really wanted another child, we’d have done so much earlier.

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'It was an accident'.

“We wouldn’t have waited until she was so old. It was an accident.”

Of the couple’s several grandchildren, their oldest granddaughter is now 18 and starting university.

It means Tianci’s niece is 18 years her senior, and her sister is 40 years older too.

'It hurt so much'

Tian, who worked as a nurse in the same hospital’s paediatrics ward, reportedly admitted to local media she would not choose to keep the child if she was given a second opportunity.

She was quoted as saying: “It was painful, far too painful. It hurt so much, I couldn’t keep my eyes open.”

The grandmother said the birth "hurt so much". Credit: CCTV via AP

On the prospect of passing away before her newborn daughter comes of age, she added: “We have to raise her to adulthood at all costs. We’re going to try live to 110.”

The new mum said she would not rely on her children or grandchildren to help and would raise the girl using her and her husband’s pension.